Durham University colleagues honoured with prestigious Polar Medal

Two long-time research partners say it is “doubly nice” to receive the rare award together for polar science.

Transcript

00:00Two university colleagues have described it as doubly special after receiving one of the world's most prestigious exploration honours.

00:10Professors Colm O'Koffay and Tave Roberts, both from Durham University, have been awarded the Polar Medal.

00:18The pair were named in the King's New Year's Honours list, alongside other leading scientists.

00:23They first met as postgraduate students in the early 1990s and later became colleagues at Durham.

00:30Both have spent decades working in extreme polar conditions, carrying out field research on ice sheets and glaciers.

00:37They were part of a major expedition to Greenland in 2024 aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough.